Using metadata stored in image files and a separate database to facilitate image retrieval

ABSTRACT

A digital camera for capturing images and for adding personal image metadata labels to the captured images, including an image sensor for capturing a plurality of images; an analog-to-digital converter for digitizing the plurality of captured images, from the image sensor, to produce a plurality of captured digital images. Also, included in the digital camera is a memory location for storing the plurality of captured digital images; a display coupled to the memory location for displaying at least one of the plurality of captured digital images. The digital camera has a user control for selecting a personal image metadata label which corresponds to an emotional or aesthetic category as judged by a user; and a processor responsive to the user control for associating the personal image metadata label with the at least one of the plurality of displayed captured digital image.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Regular Continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 10/635,837filed Aug. 6, 2003, titled “Digital Camera For Capturing Images AndSelecting Metadata To Be Associated With The Captured Images ” byKenneth A. Parulski, et al., which is a Continuation of U.S. Pat. No.6,629,104, filed on Nov. 22, 2000, titled “Method For AddingPersonalized Metadata To A Collection Of Digital Images” by Kenneth A.Parulski, et al.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to the field of photography, and inparticular to collecting and categorizing images. More specifically, theinvention relates to a personal database of metadata labels constructedprior to image capture.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Image metadata is well-known, and is useful in retrieving desired imagesfrom a large collection of images. The Kodak DC265™ camera formulatesmany metadata items, such as the date/time, camera lens setting, scenelight level, etc. when the picture is taken, and stores this metadatawithin the Exif/JPEG digital image file. Unfortunately, this metadatacannot identify the subject of the photo, or whether this particularphoto is one of the user's “favorite” photos. It is this latter type ofinformation that is most useful in quickly and easily retrieving desiredimages from a large collection of pictures.

Many software applications allow the user to manually type in text, suchas a “picture title” or “picture description,” and store this textwithin the image file. This could be used to add a description includingthe people, events, or type of photo. The text strings from all imagesin the database could later be searched to retrieve images having thenames, events, etc. of interest. Unfortunately, this is an extremelytedious method of adding metadata. In addition, since the user may typein different text to describe the same item (e.g. Matt, Matthew, orX-mas, Christmas) the database may not contain consistent names for thesame picture categories. Some particular software applications, such asImage Expert 2000™ developed by Sierra Imaging Inc., allow the user toadd keywords to captured images. The keywords are categorized as“location,” “occasion,” “photographer,” and “subject.” While viewing agroup of thumbnail images, a user can create keywords in thesecategories and assign the keywords to one or more captured images byselecting the thumbnails and keywords. The keywords from all images inthe database can later be searched to retrieve images that were assignedto those particular keywords.

Unfortunately, these conventional software applications make itdifficult for an untrained consumer to categorize their images in a waythat enables them to later locate their favorite images of a selectedsubject. What is needed is a simple, fast method for the user to addemotional or aesthetic based type metadata to a collection of images,and to use this emotional or aesthetic based metadata to retrieve imagesof interest.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of theproblems set forth above. Briefly summarized, according to one aspect ofthe present invention there is a method of using a digital camera toassign personal image metadata labels to captured images including thesteps of: capturing a plurality of images with an image sensor;digitizing the plurality of captured images, from the image sensor, withan analog-to-digital converter to produce a plurality of captureddigital images; storing the plurality of captured digital images in amemory location; displaying at least one of the plurality of captureddigital images on a display coupled to the memory location; selectivelyassigning a personal image metadata label, employing a user control,which corresponds to an emotional or aesthetic category, as judged by auser; and associating the personal image metadata label with the atleast one displayed captured digital image by employing a processorresponsive to the user control.

The present invention has the advantage of allowing a user topreemptively categorize photos that are particularly noteworthy to theuser. The application can display a menu of metadata labels, includinglabels such as “favorite photos,” “funny photos,” etc. The metadatalabels, or alternatively metadata label identifier codes, are thenstored within the image files and/or in a database separate from theimage files, but referencing the appropriate images. At a later time,when the database contains hundreds or thousands of images, severalmetadata labels can be selected together to easily retrieve images. Forexample, by selecting the categories “Matthew,” Matthew's Birthday,” and“favorite photos,” the user can get a thumbnail display or slideshow ofthe “best” photos of Matthew taken on his birthday every year, ratherthan searching through a collection of hundreds or thousands of captureddigital image files.

These and other aspects, objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will be more clearly understood and appreciated from a review10 of the following detailed description of the preferred embodimentsand appended claims, and by reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an example flow diagram of the method of this invention;

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a system that implements this invention;

FIG. 3 shows an example of a main user interface screen;

FIG. 4 shows an example menu for selecting labels;

FIG. 5 shows an example of the main user interface screen as labels areselected;

FIG. 6 shows a user interface screen displaying a selected picture withits corresponding metadata labels; and

FIG. 7 shows the user interface screen displaying an image retrievedusing selected labels.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1 a flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention for adding personalized metadata to a collection ofimages is shown. Operation block 100 discloses a user inserting anauto-launch CD-ROM into a CD-ROM drive of a computer in order to installsoftware that implements the method of the present invention. Operation110 discloses prompting a user to create “labels” for their pictures(i.e., images), prior to capturing any images, for the purpose oflocating (i.e., retrieving) the pictures at a later time. An inquiryoperation 120 asks the user to respond affirmatively or negatively.Should the user respond negatively, all operations cease. In contrast,should the user respond affirmatively, she would be prompted to enternicknames of her family and friends by operation 130. As will bedescribed later, the user entries are prompted by questions including“please enter first names of family members and pets” and “please enternicknames of friends you often photograph.” Subsequently, the user isprompted to either select or enter picture classifications, locations,and subjects according to operation 140. As will be described later, theuser entries concerning classifications are prompted by questionsconcerning the types of situations and occasions that they generallyphotograph.

Operation 150 causes user labels to be stored in a metadata database.This completes the process of developing the database of pre-assignedmetadata labels personalized for the particular user. Some time later(e.g., immediately thereafter, or several hours later, or several dayslater), a user can capture one or several images and transfer thecaptured images to the computer in operation 160. Upon transfer of theimages in operation 160, operation 170 causes thumbnail images to bedisplayed.

Operation 175 queries the user whether more labels should be added tothe images. Simultaneously, operation 200 adds a selected label tometadata for all selected images. Operation 180 receives an affirmativeresponse from the query of operation 175. The user selects one, many, orall of the images from the thumbnail display in operation 180. A finalquery operation 185 asks whether the label is part of a pull down menu.An affirmative response is an input for operation 190, wherein the userselects a label by clicking on a menu item. Next, operation 200 adds theselected label to metadata for all selected images. A negative responseto the final query operation 185 causes operation 195 to prompt the userto enter in a label, which is then added to the metadata database.

A negative response to query operation 175 causes operation 210 to storemetadata within each image file and in a separate database. Some timelater (e.g., immediately thereafter, or many days later, or many yearslater), operation 220 prompts the user to select labels in order toretrieve images of interest. In the final operation 230, images withcorresponding labels are retrieved and viewed as thumbnails (so that thecorresponding full resolution images can be selectively printed,transmitted, etc.) or may be viewed as a slide show.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a digital imaging system useful inpracticing the method of the present invention, which enables users toeasily customize the interface and features of their digital cameraprior to taking pictures. The digital imaging system includes a digitalcamera 10 which is supplied along with metadata categorization softwareprovided on a compact disc 32, CD-ROM 42, a floppy disk 34, or otherdigital media. The digital imaging system also includes a host computer40, such as a Dell Dimension XPS M200™, and a Network Service Provider70. In accordance with one preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, metadata categorization software is executed external to thedigital camera 10, and is executed on the host computer 40. However, themetadata categorization software can alternatively be executed by anInternet appliance, set-top box, or other external device, or can beexecuted internal to the digital camera 10, provided that the digitalcamera has an appropriate user interface for displaying and respondingto questions. The metadata categorization software can be provided alongwith the camera customization software described in commonly-assignedU.S. Ser. No. 09/549,356 filed Apr. 14, 2000 by Prabhu et al., titled“Method And Apparatus For Providing A User Customizable Digital Camera.”

The digital camera 10 produces digital images that are stored on aremovable memory card 30 or other digital storage device. The digitalcamera 10 has a zoom lens 12 that is controlled by a zoom switch (notshown) having telephoto (T) and wide angle (W) positions, and havingzoom and focus motor drives (not shown), and an adjustable aperture andshutter (not shown) for focusing light from a scene onto an image sensor14. The image sensor 14 can be, for example, a single-chip, colored,charge-coupled device (CCD), using the well-known Bayer color filterpattern. When the user depresses a shutter button (not shown), theanalog output signal from the image sensor 14 is converted to digitaldata by an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter 16. The digital data isprocessed by a processor 18 that is controlled by firmware stored in areprogram able memory, such as a Flash EPROM 28.

The processed digital image file is provided to a digital storageinterface 20 which stores the digital image file on the removable memorycard 30, or on another type of digital memory device, such as a floppydisk or magnetic hard drive, or smart media. The removable memory card30, which is well-known to those skilled in the art, can include, forexample, a memory card adapted to the PCMCIA card interface standard, asdescribed in the PC Card Standard, Release 2.0, published by thePersonal Computer Memory Card International Association, Sunnyvale,Calif., September 1991. The removable memory card 30 can also be adaptedto the Compact Flash interface standard, such as described in theCompactFlash Specification Version 1.4, published by the CompactFlashAssociation, Palo Alto, Calif., July 1999, or to other memory devicessuch as the well-known SSFDC (Solid State Floppy Disc Card) or MemoryStick formats.

The processor 18 performs color interpolation followed by color and tonecorrection, in order to produce rendered sRGB image data. The processor18 can include internal buffer memory to store a portion of the image,or to store one or more entire images. Alternatively, the processor 18can use a separate external memory, such as DRAM memory 19. The renderedsRGB image data is then JPEG compressed and stored as a JPEG image fileon the removable memory card 30. The processor 18 also provides a lowerresolution or “thumbnail” size image data to a color image display 22,such as a color liquid crystal display (LCD), which displays thecaptured image for the user to review. The low-resolution image can becreated as described in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,164,831 issuedNov. 17, 1992 to Kuchta et al., titled “Electronic Still CameraProviding Multi-Format Storage Of Full And Reduced Resolution Images.”Several camera user buttons 24 are used to control the digital camera10. The camera user buttons 24, together with text and icons displayedon the image display 22 (not shown), form the camera graphical userinterface (GUI). This GUI is controlled by the user interface portion ofthe firmware stored in the Flash EPROM 28.

The digital camera 10 determines various metadata items, such as thedate/time the picture was taken from the real-time clock (not shown)provided by the processor 18, the camera lens settings, scene lightlevel, etc. These metadata items are stored within a so-called “Exif”image file as defined in “Digital Still Camera Image File Format (Exif)”version 2.1, June 1998 by the Japan Electronics Industries DevelopmentAssociation (JEIDA), Tokyo, Japan. This format includes an Exifapplication segment that stores particular image metadata, for examplethe date and time the picture was captured, the lens f/number and othercamera settings. It can also include user-selected custom metadatalabels, as will be described later.

After a series of images has been taken by the digital camera 10 andstored on the removable memory card 30, the removable memory card 30 canbe inserted into a memory card reader 48 communicatively attached to, asshown, or incorporated within (not shown) the host computer 40.Alternatively, an interface cable 36 can be used to connect between ahost interface 26 in the digital camera 10 and a camera interface 46which may be external or internal to the host computer 40. The interfacecable 36 may conform to, for example, the well-known universal serialbus (USB) interface specification.

The captured images from the digital camera 10 can be downloaded to thehost computer 40 and stored on a hard drive 56 under the control of acentral processing unit (CPU) 50. The CPU 50 is coupled to a displaymonitor 52, which is used to view the images, and a keyboard 54. A mouse55 permits the user to readily communicate with the CPU 50. The CPU 50communicates with a CD Rom drive 42 in order to read the information onthe compact disc 32. The CPU 50 also communicates with the floppy diskdrive 44 in order to read the information on the floppy disk 34. The CPU50 communicates with a local printer 58, such as an Epson Stylus Photo700™ printer, which produces hard copy prints of the images that werecaptured by the digital camera 10.

The digital camera 10 that is supplied to a user includes firmware thatprovides normal camera features and remains stored in the Flash EPROM28. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the user cancustomize the firmware stored in Flash EPROM 28 of the digital camera 10using the metadata categorization software provided with the digitalcamera 10, so that the metadata labels entered or selected by the userin blocks 130 and 140 of FIG. 1 are stored in Flash EPROM 28. The colorLCD image display 22 and user buttons 24 are then used to assignmetadata labels to images, substituting for blocks 175 through 210 ofFIG. 1, as the images are captured or reviewed using the digital camera10. The CPU 50 uses the metadata categorization software in accordancewith the present invention to provide custom metadata labels within thefirmware code that is downloaded under the control of processor 18 ofthe digital camera 10 via the removable memory card 30, and stored inthe Flash EPROM 28, as described in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No.5,477,264 issued Dec. 19, 1995 to Sarbadhikari et al. titled “ElectronicImaging System Using a Removable Software-Enhanced Storage Device,” orvia the interface cable 36 as described in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat.No. 5,734,425 issued Mar. 31, 1998 to Takizawa et al. titled “ElectronicStill Camera With Replaceable Digital Processing Program.”

The metadata categorization software provided on the compact disc 32 orthe floppy disk 34 can also include digital image application software,such as the Picture Easy™ version 3.1 software developed by the EastmanKodak Company. Alternatively, instead of being provided on a compactdisc or floppy disk 34, the metadata categorization software could bedownloaded from the Network Service Provider 70 via a modem 60. Themodem 60 communicates via a channel 64 with another modem 72 at theNetwork Service Provider 70, which is connected to a computer 74, and acustomer image storage device or system 76. A billing system 78 cancharge the user (e.g., via a credit card) for downloading the metadatacategorization software. The computer 74 operates an applicationsoftware database 80 that can also provide input to one or more hardcopyprinters 82 for subsequent printing of images captured by the digitalcamera 10.

As shown in block 100 of FIG. 1, the user begins by installing theprogram on her computer. The program may be provided on a compact disc32 which may be a Photo CD also having digitized images (so that thedigital camera 10 is not needed), or can alternatively be included aspart of application software provided with the digital camera 10. Aspart of this installation process, the user is prompted to answer anumber of questions (blocks 130 and 140 of FIG. 1) that produce apersonalized database of metadata “labels.” At least some of thedatabase of metadata labels is derived from the user's emotionaljudgment about the content of the images that she usually captures. Thepresent invention allows a user to develop emotional or aesthetic basedmetadata that is useful in categorizing several of the user's capturedimages according to the user's own emotional or aesthetic judgmentregarding the captured images.

The emotional or aesthetic based metadata is derived from a useranswering queries about her family, friends, and her aesthetic judgmentof the typical images that she captures. Consequently, the user is ableto preemptively categorize “how much they like a picture” by usingemotional or aesthetic based metadata labels such as “favorite photos,”“best photos,” “cute photos,” “important moments,” or “funny photos.”These metadata labels are then stored within the captured image filesand/or in a database that may be separate from the image files, butstill references the appropriate categorized images. Labels assigned toeach digital image file may be stored as ASCII text strings or as othertypes of metadata label identifiers, such as digital code valuesassigned to a particular metadata label. For example, a user's “best”pictures may be stored with the ASCII text “BEST,” for “user imagevalue,” or may be stored with the digital value “10” (using a 10 pointscale where 1 is lowest and 10 is highest) as the metadata labelidentifier in the “user image value” field. After describing how theanswers will be used, the following types of personal queries may beasked:

-   -   Type the nicknames of immediate family members    -   Type the nicknames of friends you often photograph    -   Are these good ways to classify your pictures? (select,        deselect, or add)    -   Best photos, funny photos, cute photos, important moments    -   Where do you often take pictures (select, deselect, or add)    -   Our house, our yard, (friend's name's house), zoo, ______ park,        etc.

1What type of pictures do you often take (select, deselect, or add)

-   -   Portraits, landscapes, flower & plants, sports

In block 150, the user's responses to these questions are used toconfigure and store a database of pre-assigned metadata labels for theuser in a digital memory, normally hard drive 56 of computer 40.

In block 160, the user then proceeds to use the metadata categorizationsoftware to display images either stored in or downloaded from thedigital camera 10, or provided from a compact disc 32, or another imagesource. For example, in block 130 to 140 of FIG. 1, the user may developmetadata labels that relates to family members, that family member'sbirthday party, as well as emotional metadata labels, for example imagesthat the user ‘feels’ are her favorite photos. For an explicit example,a user selects categories labeled “Matt,” “Matt's Birthday,” and“favorite photos.” Adding labels to the appropriate images as part ofblocks 175 through 210 of FIG. 1 will enable the user to later (inblocks 220 through 230) quickly and easily access a thumbnail display orslideshow of the “best” photos featuring Matt taken on his birthdayevery year that pictures were taken, rather than searching through acollection of hundreds or thousands of captured digital image filestaken over many years.

As part of block 160, the images from the camera (or full size orthumbnail size images from the compact disc) are transferred to thecomputer hard drive 56. In block 170, the CPU 50, running the metadatacategorization software displays thumbnail size images of each newdownloaded picture on the computer monitor, as depicted in FIG. 3, alongwith a message such as “Label your photos now, so you can find themlater.” The user selects one, several, or all of the thumbnail images byclicking on the images. The user then selects, from a pull-down menu, ametadata category (e.g., “People—who's in the picture,” “Subject—who'sin this picture,” “Type—What type of picture is this?” Then, for theselected category, they select one or more metadata items using blocks175 through 200 of FIG. 1. For example, if they select “Subject—who's inthis picture,” the application may display a menu listing “Ken, Susan,Matthew, JoAnn, etc.” and allow them to click on one or more names. Ifnecessary, they can type in new names (block 195 of FIG. 1), which areadded to future display lists. When the user selects “Type—what type ofpicture is this,” the application displays a menu including a number ofemotional or aesthetic categories such as “best photos,” “funny photos,”etc.”

Example display and pull-down menu embodiments for blocks 175 through200 of FIG. 1 are shown in FIGS. 3-6. Referring to FIG. 3, a “Main UserInterface Screen” 3000 includes the following toolbar buttons: an “AddLabel” 3010, a “Show labels” 3020, a “Find with Labels” 3030, a “SlideShow” 3040, and a “Transfer Pictures” 3050. The main user interfacescreen 3000 has a slider or scrollbar 3060 for scrolling up and downthrough a group of thumbnail images. Many thumbnail images 3070 (e.g. 16thumbnail images) may be displayed for the user to view and choose.

The interface screen shown in FIG. 3 provides an efficient way for theuser to enter metadata for images, a “group” of thumbnails at a time. Atypical digital memory card 30 can contain, for example, 24 picturestaken over 3 “picture taking sessions.” For example, over the course ofa weekend, the group of images on the digital memory card 30 may include12 shots taken at Matthew's birthday party at home, 8 shots taken duringa visit to the zoo, and 4 taken during a stop at JoAnn's house. Thethumbnail images 3070 shown in FIG. 3 are 16 images from this set,corresponding to the position of scroll bar 3060 within the set ofimages. The thumbnail images 3070 are provided using the thumbnail imagedata stored within the Exif image file. The date each image was taken isalso read from the Exif image file metadata and displayed beneath eachimage. In order to label images, the user selects the “add label” icon3010.

Referring to FIG. 4, a screen entitled, “Menu for Selecting Labels” 4000lists an example of pre-assigned metadata labels configured in blocks130 to 150 of FIG. 1, which can now be selected by the user in block 190of FIG. 1. The list includes the following menu selections: an “AddLabel” 4010, a “People” 4020, a “Places” 4030, a “Subjects” 4040, a“Types” 4050. At the next level, the selections correspond with theuser's input to the previous selections. For example, selection 4060corresponds with the user's input to menu selection 4020 (e.g. the listof family members and friends that are often photographed). Selection4070 corresponds to the user input for menu selection 4030. Selection4080 corresponds to the user input for menu selection 4040. Selection4090 corresponds to the user input for menu selection 4050. One ofordinary skill can envision further levels as well.

Referring to FIG. 5, a display screen 5000 showing how the “main userinterface screen labels are selected” is disclosed. A user selects “AddLabel” 3010, and uses the pull down menu to select “People” 4020,whereby a second pull down menu with the user's input 4060 is shown. Thedisplay includes a scroll bar 3060 and several thumbnail images 3070 aswell as icons or text 5010 that indicate which of the thumbnail images3070 have associated metadata labels.

FIG. 6 displays a screen 6000 that depicts a selected picture 6020 withits associated metadata labels 6010. The current labels 6010 correspondto the labels selected during steps 175 through 200 of FIG. 1. Theselected picture 6020 includes the labels 6010 “Matthew” (people), “Ken”(people), “Our backyard” (place), “Flowers” (subjects) and “Best photos”(type).

In block 180, the user selects one or more thumbnail images using thethumbnail images 3070. For example, the user can quickly highlight thefirst 12 images, and then select (in block 190) Event→Matthew's birthdayto label all of these images using the list shown in FIG. 4, and proceedto highlight and label the other groups if they wish (repeating blocks175 through 200 of FIG. 1). As another example, also shown specificallyin FIG. 5, in block 180 of FIG. 1 the user can highlight all the imageson the roll with one click, deselect those few that do not includeMatthew, and then select People→Matthew in block 190 to further labelthe appropriate images. As another example, in block 180 the user canhighlight the one or two of the pictures they judge to be their verybest images of the group, and select Type→Best Photos in block 190. Ifan appropriate label does not exist, the user can create a new label inblock 195, which is stored in the metadata label database for futureuse.

As labels are added to each image, graphics 6010 (or text) coded toindicate the category of labels provided for the image, are positionedin the corner of the corresponding thumbnail image display, as shown inFIG. 6. When the “show labels” button 3020 is selected by the user, thelabels are displayed adjacent to the selected image, so that it isapparent what labels have been applied to a particular image, as shownin FIG. 6. In this mode, the user can also add additional labels orchange previous-applied labels for that particular image.

In block 210, the metadata text labels or other metadata labelidentifiers are then stored within the image files and/or in a databaseseparate from the image files. At a later time, when the databasecontains hundreds or thousands of images, the metadata can be used toeasily retrieve images. FIG. 7 discloses a “Find with Labels” feature7000 that allows a user to locate images using the pre-assigned metadatalabels configured in blocks 130 through 150 of FIG. 1 and assigned toparticular images in blocks 175 through 210 of FIG. 1. Toolbar button“Find with labels” 3030 is selected. The user then selects, from themenu depicted in FIG. 4, labels of interest, for example the labels“Matthew,” “Zoo,” and “Best photos” 7020. A scroll bar 3060 allows auser to scroll the images 7040 found by the label search. In the exampleof FIG. 7, by selecting the categories “Matthew,” “Zoo,” and “Bestphotos,” the user can get a thumbnail display or slideshow of the bestphotos featuring Matt taken on his birthday over the course of severalyears, rather than searching through a collection of hundreds orthousands of digital image files stored on hard drive 56.

In an alternative embodiment, blocks 170 through 210 of FIG. 1 areimplemented in the digital camera 10 of FIG. 2. In another alternativeembodiment, the user identifies only certain types of images, such asfavorite images, important events, or funny images, when the images arecaptured on digital camera 10, by selecting the appropriate labels usinguser buttons 24 while reviewing captured image thumbnails on the colorLCD image display 22. The metadata labels associated with theseemotional or aesthetic judgments are then stored within the Exif imagefiles. Additional metadata labels can optionally be added when theseimages are transferred from the digital camera 10 to the computer 40, asdescribed earlier in relation to blocks 170 through 210 of FIG. 1.

Computer program products, such as readable storage medium, can be usedto store the customization software, and also the desired firmwarecomponents in accordance with the present invention. The readablestorage medium can be a magnetic storage media, such as a magnetic disk(such as a floppy disk) or magnetic tape; optical storage media, such asan optical disk, an optical tape, or a machine readable bar code; solidstate electronic storage devices, such as a random access memory (RAM)or a read only memory (ROM); or any other physical device or mediumemployed to store computer programs.

The invention has been described with reference to a preferredembodiment. However, it will be appreciated that variations andmodifications can be effected by a person of ordinary skill in the artwithout departing from the scope of the invention.

PARTS LIST

-   10 digital camera-   12 lens-   14 CCD image sensor-   16 A/D converter-   18 processor-   19 DRAM memory-   20 digital storage interface-   22 color LCD image display-   24 user buttons-   26 host interface-   28 flash EPROM-   30 memory card-   32 compact disc-   34 floppy disk-   36 interface-   40 host computer-   42 CD-ROM drive-   44 floppy disk drive-   46 camera interface-   48 memory card reader-   50 CPU-   52 display monitor-   54 keyboard-   55 mouse-   56 hard drive-   58 local printer-   60 modem-   64 channel-   70 network service provider-   72 modem-   74 computer-   76 customer image storage-   78 billing system-   80 application software database-   82 printer-   100 autolaunch operation-   110 label query operation-   120 user response-   130 nickname operation-   140 picture classification operation-   150 label storage operation-   160 image capture operation-   170 image display operation-   175 additional label query-   180 image selection operation-   185 menu query-   190 label selection operation-   195 metadata database input operation-   200 label and metadata match operation-   210 image-associated metadata storage operation-   220 label selection operation-   230 image viewing operation-   3000 Main User Interface Screen-   3010 Add label toolbar button-   3020 Show labels toolbar button-   3030 Find with labels toolbar button-   3040 slide show toolbar button-   3050 transfer pictures toolbar button-   3060 scroll bar toolbar button-   3070 thumbnail images-   4000 Menu for selecting labels-   4010 add label toolbar button-   4020 people selection-   4030 places selection-   4040 subject selection-   4050 types selection-   4060 user input associated people selection-   4070 user input associated places selection-   4080 user input associated subjects selection-   4090 user input associated types selection-   5000 screen for how “Main User Interface labels are selected”-   5010 metadata label icon-   6000 screen for “Show Picture Labels”-   6010 current picture labels displayed-   6020 associated thumbnail image-   7000 screen for “Find with Labels”-   7020 user selected labels-   7040 label search images

1. A method for rating images to facilitate image retrieval, comprising:(a) storing a plurality of digital image files in a digital memory; (b)displaying the plurality of stored digital image files; (c) permitting auser to select one of the plurality of displayed images and to select arating, wherein the rating indicates how much the user likes the image;(d) storing metadata, indicating the user's selected rating, in both astored digital image file corresponding to the displayed image and in adatabase separate from the stored digital image file.
 2. The methodclaimed in claim 1, wherein the rating is provided using a multi-pointscale.
 3. The method claimed in claim 1, further comprising: (e)displaying a group of thumbnail images corresponding to at least some ofthe plurality of stored digital image files; (f) retrieving the metadatafrom the stored digital image files corresponding to the group ofthumbnail images; and (g) displaying an icon adjacent to at least one ofthe thumbnail images correlating to or associated with the retrievedmetadata.
 4. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the stored digitalimage files comprise JPEG image files.
 5. The method claimed in claim 4,wherein the stored digital image files comprise Exif image files.
 6. Themethod claimed in claim 5, further comprising the step of transferringthe plurality of digital image files from a digital camera, prior tostoring the plurality of digital image files in the digital memory. 7.The method claimed in claim 6, wherein the metadata also includes alabel for identifying the person or event depicted in the selecteddisplayed image.
 8. The method claimed in claim 7, further comprising:(i) displaying a group of thumbnail images corresponding to at leastsome of the plurality of stored digital image files; (ii) retrieving thelabel metadata from either the stored digital image files correspondingto the group of thumbnail images or from the database; and (iii)displaying the retrieved label as text adjacent to the thumbnail image.9. A computer software product comprising a computer readable storagemedium having a computer program, which when loaded into a computercauses the computer to perform the steps according to claim
 1. 10. Amethod for rating images to facilitate image retrieval, comprising thesteps of: (a) storing a plurality of digital image files in a digitalmemory; (b) displaying the plurality of stored digital image files; (c)permitting a user to select ratings for each of the plurality ofdisplayed images, wherein the rating indicates how much the user likeseach displayed image; (d) storing metadata, indicating the user'sselected rating, in each of the plurality of stored digital image filescorresponding to the plurality of displayed images, and in a databaseseparate from the plurality of shared digital image files.
 11. Themethod claimed in claim 10, wherein the rating is provided using amulti-point scale.
 12. The method claimed in claim 10, furthercomprising: (e) displaying a group of thumbnail images corresponding toat least some of the plurality of stored digital image files; (f)retrieving the value metadata from either the stored digital image filescorresponding to the group of thumbnail images or from the database; and(g) responsive to the retrieved metadata, displaying an icon adjacent toat least one of the thumbnail images.
 13. The method claimed in claim10, wherein the stored digital image files comprise JPEG image files.14. The method claimed in claim 13, wherein the stored digital imagefiles comprise Exif image files.
 15. The method claimed in claim 14,further comprising transferring the plurality of digital image filesfrom a digital camera, prior to storing the plurality of digital imagefiles in the digital memory.
 16. The method claimed in claim 15, whereinthe metadata also includes a label for identifying the person or eventdepicted in the selected displayed image.
 17. A computer softwareproduct comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computerprogram, which when loaded into a computer causes the computer toperform the steps according to claim 10.